WEATHERFORD, Okla. – On a Friday night that featured free energy teas for fans, SWOSU Volleyball fed off the lively crowd and propelled to a 3-1 rivalry victory over Northwestern. The loss is the Rangers first in GAC play, while the Bulldogs remain unbeaten at home.
The win moves the Dawgs to 3-2 in league play and they'll get to play their next three matches in Weatherford including two conference games next week.
The tone was set from the jump on Friday. SWOSU scored the match's first four points and went on to claim the opening set 25-22 behind a combined 17 kills from Zoey Sparks (7) and Lacy Mott (5).
After a slow second set that saw the Bulldogs play from behind the entire way, SWOSU responded emphatically with a 25-12 dominating third set to regain control.
In that third set, the Bulldog defense was in full force as they held Northwestern to a negative hitting percentage and racked up six total blocks on balls (2s-4a). Meanwhile six different players produced kills on offense including four more from Mott.
Things tightened up in the fourth (and final) set. The Rangers led 12-7 and were seemingly headed to a deciding fifth set when SWOSU's Lauren DeSantiago stepped up to the service line and helped rally the margin back in the home team's favor.
SWOSU pieced together an 8-0 run which included an ace from DeSantiago, a pair of Mott kills, and multiple errors from the Ranger attack.
Now 15-12 with the Dawgs leading, both sides inched towards the finish line with small runs the rest of the way, but it was the Bulldogs who were able to lead throughout. Northwestern closed the margin to its smallest mark at 21-20, but four out of the next six points were logged by SWOSU to end it.
Reigning AVCA National Player of the Week Addison Wimmer produced a game high 20 kills for the Rangers on the night but was held to a .140 hitting percentage. Northwestern as a team hit .131 collectively.
The Bulldogs finished at .194 as a team and increased their hitting percentage in every set they played, culminated by a .333 fourth set.
Mott led the offense with 18 kills and had a double-double with 17 digs. Middles Samantha Kuzma (11) and Sparks (15) combined for 26 kills and nearly 10 total blocks.
Carmen Kinsey also had an impact at the net. She finished with six blocks (1s-5a).
